The Ramsey Show - App - What Do I Do When Nobody Will Hire Me? (Hour 1)

Episode Date: August 28, 2020

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Live from the headquarters of Ramsey Solutions, broadcasting from the Dollar Car Rental Studio, this is the Dave Ramsey Show, where America hangs out to have a conversation about your life and your money. I'm Chris Hogan, and hosting along with me this hour is Ken Coleman, and I can't tell you how excited we are to talk to you about your questions about money, about career, about jobs. Coleman, I think you've been helping people all day already. Are you still in the groove? I'm warmed up. Two hours already in the books, and we walked right over here.

Now, I've got to tell folks, my voice is a little scratchy, a little deeper. I think some of you are going, are you trying to be like Hogan? No, we had a high school football game last night. I'm not sick. I don't have allergies. A little too much yelling at the big comeback win by my kids' football team last night. The key word in that is comeback win. That's always a good thing.

That's right. But I had to shut it down in the third quarter. I realized, well, I've got to be on the radio tomorrow. All right. Well, I just want to make sure you weren't trying to imitate me, so I appreciate you telling me this. Can you tell? You are a little bit deeper today. I'll never, ever approach you.

Well, you could. I don't think so. You know what? You may not be able to get as low as me, and I can definitely not get the hair you have. So we will envy each other and just rock it. I love that. All right, listen. If you're out there, I know you have questions.

There's so much going on in the world today. I know you've got something on your mind about your money, about career. We want to hear from you. Call us. The number to call is 888-825-5225. Again, that's 888-825-5225. Or if you want, find us on social media. You can find us at Ramsey Show. You can find Ken Coleman at Ken Coleman Show on Facebook, at Ken Coleman on Instagram and Twitter. You can find me at Chris Hogan 360. So we're going to put that out there. We're willing to talk with you.

We just need to know what's on your mind. So we're going to jump to the phones without wasting any more time. We've got Jackson on the line in St. Louis. Jackson, how are you? I am great, sir. Thank you for taking my call. How are you today?

Oh, my friend, we are focused and not finished and glad to talk to you. How can Kidd help you with your career question? So I've been in law enforcement for about seven to eight years now, and I'm just looking at a career change just because I'm experiencing a whole lot of burnout. And I've developed a strong passion and interest for wanting to be a financial rep or financial advisor and helping people achieve the same goals that, you know, Ramsey Solutions helps people achieve. I love everything that y'all teach. And I've been in a kind of a promising process with a certain company, but the more I've learned, the more I realized they push whole life insurance as their main policy or their main income driver. And I don't want to support that product.

So I guess my question is, in searching for jobs in that area, are there any tips on what to look for in a company to know, like, okay, they teach the solid principles that the baby steps are founded on, that financial peace is founded on, things like that. Sure. Well, I love this question. I get this on the Ken Coleman show all the time, Chris. And it's kind of fun when we can go, hey, Jackson, so you actually love Dave Ramsey's principles and his baby steps.

It's had a profound impact on your life. And as a result, you want to do the financial advising, the kind of stuff that Chris writes about in Retire Inspired, his number one bestselling book. and then Everyday Millionaire, the second number one bestselling book. And you know what? We've got a great resource for you. You need to go to DaveRamsey.com, and I'd look up those SmartVestor Pros in the St.

Louis area. Now, the way that our SmartVestor Pro program works is we vet these men and women based on their heart of a teacher. And do you endorse the way Dave teaches how to invest, save, and then we run them through a rigorous program? And if they don't take good care of people, we kick them out. And so for you looking for somebody that's not going to, A, sell whole life, a policy, a product we do not agree with and you don't agree with, and B, they're going to be like-minded to Dave and you, Jackson.

That's where I'd start. I'd start looking at those companies, and I would say, hey, I would reach out, see what opportunities they have, what qualifications you're going to need for those opportunities, and it wouldn't be bad to kick the tires with some of them to say, hey, I'm a Ramsey guy. And I'd like to eventually get where you are. And this is where the proximity principle comes in, Jackson, which is what I teach. In order for you to do what you want to do, to be a financial advisor, Jackson, you've got to start meeting, getting around successful financial advisors

and then getting in places where financial advisors are hanging out as well. And I think that's where I would start, because right away, if they're a smart investor pro, Jackson, we're now on an equal playing field as far as values go, and that's what you're asking. Yeah. Jackson, let me ask you this, my friend. Is it the people side that you like, or is it the money number side? Honestly, both. Yeah. Okay. I love building relationships with people. I love helping people achieve goals. Yes, sir. I love speaking to people. Okay. And I also love just the money side of it excites me as well. Okay. So looking at investments, planning, and that nature. Okay. Well, Ken's advice of connecting with the smart investor pro is absolutely dead on a great place for you to start to go to lunch uh build some relationships talk with them about how they're working with people uh because your values are

going to be in alignment how long have you been in the law enforcement field uh seven years okay and so what's your time frame of making this change? Best case scenario. Best case scenario, probably, I was hoping, you know, maybe by January, just so I have time to get some loose ends, things like that tied up. And, Jackson, you're very familiar with what it's going to take to get that qualification, the licensing, the certification necessary to be available, to be qualified and get the opportunity. You're all set, correct? I'm learning.

I'm starting to study and, you know, learning to get the licensing and the possible, you know, CFP exam, things like that. Exactly. Because here's my point. I know that you feel burned out because of all the different things. We don't have time to unpack all the reasons why you're feeling this way. But it is really important in this process that you get qualified before you leave the law enforcement situation, unless you are financially able to walk away. And if you're financially able to walk away while you're looking, great. But if not, hang in there a little longer.

That's the only thing I want to make sure of. Okay. Yeah. Hang on the line. Kelly, let's give him a copy of my number one bestselling book, The Proximity Principle, because this is going to give you a step-by-step path to be able to get connected to where the opportunities are coming to you, Jackson, before you leave the police force. And I was going to bring that up, Ken, because it is so important for people to, number one, understand if you're looking to make a change, let's just acknowledge, first and foremost, you're not stuck.

Right. You're going to be able to make a change, but you need a plan and you need to know that, hey, I'm not going to get in a rush and leave the wrong way or hurry up ahead of my resources and timing. And so, Ken, I'm glad you brought that up because I know a lot of people out there are sick and tired of maybe of what it is they're doing. They're looking for something to change. Well, guess what? You've got to begin to have a plan. And Ken's book, Proximity Principle, I'm going to tell you, this is not something I have already given copies of this to my cousins. I'm going to tell you, this is for grown adults. This is for people that are looking to make a change.

And you go, how do you begin to do it? Ken is going to unpack it for you, let you begin to see and understand what you need to do. Now, I'm going to also challenge people. You're going to have to put in the time. You're going to have to turn off TV and really get serious about this career path and know that, hey, if you read this information and apply it, it will change your life. This is The Dave Ramsey Show. Did you know, statistically, when it comes to life insurance and protecting your family,

that women are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured than men? This doesn't make any sense. Women make up half the workforce, contribute mightily to family incomes, and in many cases are the breadwinners and take care of their families 24 hours a day. This is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to financial planning. Maybe it's a relic of the past, but a loss of income or the need to replace family care is equally important for women as it is for men. Single moms, working moms, and stay-at-home moms all need term life insurance.

Rates are actually lower for women, which is why I send you to Zander Insurance. They shop the top term life companies to find the lowest rates available. You can compare rates online at zander.com or call 800-356-4282. This is something every family has to deal with. That's Zander.com or 800-356-4282. Welcome back, America. You're listening to The Dave Ramsey Show. I'm Ramsey Personality, Ken Coleman, host of The Ken Coleman Show on the Ramsey Network.

Co-hosting The Dave Ramsey Show with me this hour is Chris Hogan, Ramsey Personality, number one best-selling author of Retire Inspired and Everyday Millionaire and host of the wildly popular The Chris Hogan Show, another show a part of the Ramsey Network. By the way, we should point out, Chris, that we spent hours and hours and hours, tens and tens and tens of dollars on those names of our shows. Hey, listen to me. We wrestled back and forth, and finally we came up with the chris hogan show and the ken coleman show listen sometimes things take research ken i know a lot of time i know a lot of effort hey i want to tell people uh about some of the great stuff you've got uh at chris hogan 360.com the net worth calculator uh what a wonderful tool to kind of let you see where you stand. And then the RIQ, the retirement calculator.

Both of these are great resources that can quickly give you a snapshot of where you are and also where you need to be, and that's what Chris specializes in. ChrisHogan360.com is the website. Of course, I mentioned his two bestselling books, Everyday Millionaires and then Retire Inspired. And then, of course, I mentioned The Chris Hogan Show, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and also joins me and Dave on SiriusXM. He's got the Everyday Millionaires Investing Guide, a step-by-step playbook for building wealth. This is a 30-page guide, and it's free. Get it at chrishogan360.com start now well thank you ken that's true

we got free tools out there trying to help people and listen p i told people to send us social questions and they're doing it all right remember it's at ken coleman at chris hogan 360 here's a question i got from samantha on twitter my mom took out a Parent PLUS loan for me when I was in college, and her name only. She passed away last month. Is my dad now responsible to pay it? Well, Samantha, first and foremost, my prayers and condolences go out to you and your family. That is a tough thing to have to deal with. But as far as that loan, with Parent PLUS loans, a couple things to know about these.

Number one, interest starts to accrue on these bad boys as soon as the funds are dispersed, even if it's in deferment. So the clock has taken and the interest is growing. The other side is Parent PLUS loans are taken out in the name of the parent only and can never be forced to be assumed by the student. It's in the parent's name. But here's the reality, Samantha. Your mom and dad were married, which means that, hey, any credit is jointly in their name. So it's going to want to get a copy of the paperwork.

You want to get a copy. Pull your mother's credit report as well. Kind of get with your dad. And if you have to, get connected to one of our financial coaches. You can go to DaveRamsey.com and click on Financial Coaches. We have coaches that are designed to help you all walk through and begin to kind of unravel this process. Again, my prayers and condolences go out, but you want to know the facts and know what you're dealing with so you can make the right decision. Wow, tough stuff.

It is. You always hate uncertainty piled on top of uncertainty. Oh, absolutely. And when you have heartache on top of financial stress, it doesn't help. All right, we're going back to the phones. If you're out there and you've got a question, call us, 888-825-5225. Again, that's 888-825-5225. Call us.

Kelly is standing by, ready to go. She's ready to take your calls, and we're ready to talk to you. So we've got Allison on the line. We're going to go to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Allison, what can Ken and I do for you today? Hi, you guys. I'm so excited to talk to you Campbell, Kentucky. Allison, what can Ken and I do for you today? Hi, you guys. I'm so excited to talk to you this afternoon. Well, thank you.

So, yeah. So, also, I have my one-year-old on my lap, so if things get crazy, just know that I'm an innocent victim. Yeah, boy, listen, Chris and I know. We've got three each, so don't worry about it. We're used to it, Allison. Talk to us. Awesome. Okay, so what i'm

mostly calling about so i'm 25 my husband is 24 and he's active duty military um are we both really excellent parents they taught us to work hard so something neither of our parents were excellent at is like management oh allison you may be breaking up young lady. Uh, you might hang up and try to call us back. Uh, that's happening out there. These things can kind of happen. Uh, let's see, Emma, let's go to Emma here in Columbus. Emma, how are you?

Yes. Hello. I'm well. Thank you for taking my call. Yes, ma'am. I have a quick, yes, I have a quick question. Where do we decide between safety for a child and absolutely no debt? And this is our scenario.

So my husband and I are foster parents, and we adopted a set of twins, and one of them is pretty significantly handicapped. And we knew when we adopted them that we would not have the funds for the large ticket items like a wheelchair ramp, you know, that type of thing. But there was a fund, you know, when you depend on. Okay. Emma, you still there? Let's see. Let's try it again.

Emma, you still there? Yes. Okay. I'm you still there? Let's see. Let's try it again. Emma, you still there? Yes, I'm here. All right. So you were talking about you knew there were going to be significant funds needed for the wheelchair ramp, and what else? Yes. Well, right now, the three big things we need are a wheelchair ramp, a handicap-accessible bathtub, and a fence to keep, or rather, gates for the fence that we did build to keep her safe and off the road. And so, I mean, we can borrow the money, but we have, my husband's a teacher, so our salary's set and fairly low.

And we have just studiously avoided debt as much as we could. Right. But we're kind of at the point, you know, where I guess we're hoping that maybe there is some other option that we're not seeing. Okay. And, you know, we need to do X, Y, and Z. But right now she's growing into these needs faster than we are able to save. Hey, Emma, let me ask you real quick. To walk us through the highest priority of those three items, and then what's the total cost of all three?

Okay. So the highest priority right now is a bathtub, because I can't lift her over the edge of hours anymore. How much would the bathtub cost? That's $8,000, but I just got a quote. All right. What's the next priority? And then the next would be gate for the fence that we put up. That's $4,000.

Okay. And the wheelchair ramp, I don't have an exact quote, but it's probably $4,000 or $5,000. Okay. And when you say gate, are you talking about a fence around the house and so, like, just to try to keep her from walking out? Is that what you're talking about? Yes. Yes. We fenced in our yard, which we did that.

We got it through loads and at 0% financing if we have it all paid off by April. But, you know, if we don't, then we have to pay all that interest. So skipping payments on that is not an option. We're not paying interest on it right now, but we would have a big interest payment if we didn't. And we're on track to have it paid off, but that's taking anything extra. So, yes, the gates are – she doesn't walk, but she crawls. How long would it take you to save up the $8,000 if you made some changes and you just said we're saving for this bathtub because this is a real urgent issue?

How long would it take? Well, right now, because we have to pay off the fence, it would take probably a year after April, so a year and a half. Okay. Now, you said the time frame for paying off the fence is what date? The end of April, it has to be paid off. It was $25,000. We're down to $10,000.

Goodness gracious. Okay. All right. Here's the reality. Emma, as you look at this, I think the big thing is to understand, first and foremost, you're going to do what's necessary for your child. That's imperative. I like what Ken did. And as far as breaking it down, because everything can't be the priority. That's that's how you get defeated. That's how you feel frustrated and irritated and overwhelmed. And so really laying this out, and as far as, I don't know if your husband's helping you right now with baths, because that's the thing you're going to have to do. You're going to have to approach this together or look at the lift that you can use to be able to do that, or the shower, getting another wheelchair that you can get into the shower.

So I want you to start to think of solutions and options. It may not be the optimal thing, but it's something that can get you by. The other side of this is we've got to bring in extra income. We've got to figure out some ways, and that's taking on a couple of extra jobs. Let your church know. Think about people that are around you in your community that can rally. Yeah, I would just say quickly that let's break the cost of $8,000 down. Let's see if we've got some church members who are handy and can help install that bathtub. There's a way to do it for way less

money, I promise, but you've got to get creative. That is fantastic. This is The Dave Ramsey Show. Hello, everyone. You are listening to The Dave Ramsey Show. I'm Chris Hogan, and hosting along with me is Ken Coleman, number one bestselling author and host of The Ken Coleman Show. And I want to let you know The Ken Coleman Show is part of the Ramsey Network. It's available every weekday daily podcast that tells you what's going on in the job market. Hello. A lot of people need this information, how it affects you and your career journey, and it's available everywhere you listen to podcasts.

But I want this. This is the thing. The Get Hired Digital course. The unemployment rate has skyrocketed. The job market is more competitive now more than ever. That's why Ken and the team launched the Get Hired Digital course to give you tools and strategy you need to stand out in the application and hiring process. Ken's course has 11 video lessons about how to get clear on what you want to do, get connected to the right people, how to write the perfect resume, hello, and stand out in interviews

and so much more. So what do you need to do this? Well, bottom line, you need a computer, a tablet, a phone. Look, you've got access to unlimited replays of each lesson for a year, which is big. This is a limited time offer right now for only $19.99. So grab the deal while you can. Go to KenColeman.com to buy the get hired digital course today ken this is it couldn't be more timely in this day and age yeah we're really excited about it it's it's what you all who've listened to dave ramsey for many many years have come to expect and that is we're going to give you very practical teaching that when you do it it will inspire you to keep doing it because you're going to get results and we walk walk you through an 11-part series for anybody, whether you need the short-term job or you're looking for the dream job.

That's good. All right, listen, blinds. We all know, bottom line, you need to make your house look good. We're spending more time in the homes than ever. And sometimes you need to keep the sun out, okay, just bottom line. Or you need to keep nosy neighbors from peering over into your house trying to watch your TV show with you. Right? Bottom line is, if you mismeasure or pick the wrong color, they're going to make your blinds.

They'll remake them for free at blinds.com. You can get free samples, free shipping. And with new promos that they run every month, you're going to save even more. Use the promo code RAMSEY to get the best deal. Of course, all the rules and restrictions apply. Okay, Ken, whatstheblinds.com question today. It's from David in D.C. He writes in on DaveRamsey.com and says,

Because of COVID, I was placed on long-term paid administrative leave. But because no training is being conducted, my pay is staying low. I have the dream job and it will bring me amazing income once I finish training. So resigning this job is not on the table, but I'm tight and I need extra money and I need to boost the income. Is it moral to get a job somewhere and then walk away once I get recalled? Now, I love this question, Chris, because this is coming from a very high integrity person. He's got a great heart, and he's going, all right, I'm in a situation where I'm on paid leave. Right. All right?

But it's not enough money. He's making way less because he's not getting the current training. He's got bills to pay. So he's got to work. Absolutely. But he's going, the current training he's got bills to pay so he's got to work absolutely but he's going to wait a second if i go get a day job right and then they call me back three months later am i a jerk this is what's not written here but that's what he's wondering and it is not a moral issue this is not about integrity this is not about morality this is reality and the reality is you got to work and all work is honorable and the reason you're

working is very honorable so here's the deal assuming that your paid administrative leave doesn't have some type of conditions and there's not some sort of conflict of interest that's true that's the giant asterisk there okay yes go get a day job and you don't need to tell them everything you just go look i need work that's the truth i can help you that's the truth and if you get called back three months later you tell them hey uh i i've got another opportunity a better opportunity got to do it so there's you don't have to have this big long disclosure statement and you're not this immoral dishonest person right because you got to get short-term work yeah no you got to communicate i agree with you i think being up front communicating clearly

uh you don't need to go through all 48,000 details. And then work and do your job while you're there. But you got to feed your family. You got to do the things that are necessary, which are really, really important. Okay, real quick, let me tell you this. This year has taken some crazy turns. We've all been faced with new challenges. But with challenges come opportunity.

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Go to DaveRamsey.com slash events to get your live stream tickets. Coleman, I'm going to have to break out my skinny jeans for that event. Oh, why? Yeah, well, listen. What makes you feel you need to do that? Well, i needed you to question the fact that you think i own skinny jeans well that should have been the first flag out of your mouth well because here's what i thought is what most people who know what you

look like thought those are huskies for me my huskies are skinny for you so you don't they don't make skinny jeans for men your size first of all i'm gonna go way back and take a flash in the pan tough skins do you remember those jeans let me tell you something not only do i remember tough skin list but i wore them with zips remember the little tennis shoes and then when i when i would uh do the carpet burn and get a hole in the knee kelly mom would not go buy me a new pair of tough skins she she would get a patch. Yes. And by the way, they bought them four sizes too big, so the cuffs went right below my knee. Here's the thing.

I don't know what kind of denim it was made out of. All I know is I never folded mine. You took them off, they stayed standing. That's how strong this denim was. It's amazing we survived. Well, no, we did survive. That's the whole point. They're made of Kevlar.

Yeah, these kids wore a new pair of jeans every year. We wore jeans that were effectively bulletproof. They're spoiled. All right, Coleman, listen. I'm going to hit you with this other job question. Jerry from YouTube wants to know from you, I'm having problems finding a new job. I quit my job, and nobody's willing to hire me. I don't do drugs.

I don't drink. I'm very loyal. My last employer, I was there for 16 years, and I have a great personality and attitude. Help me. Well, now, Jerry, this is tough when you get a social media question, because there's a lot of unanswered questions I've got in that statement. But let me tell you what Jerry's challenge is. Jerry's got a lot to offer, but he has no idea how to offer it oh that's i'm gonna sum that up okay all right let me let me unpack that so jerry's telling us listen uh

i don't do drugs nope i don't drink i was very loyal nobody cares let me jerry let me tell you what everybody cares about they care if you can help them win. That's it. And so the problem is, is that you are applying for things and they don't know who you are. He's got a great attitude and personality. Well, he might, but guess what? They don't know that because he can't get an interview. And the reason he can't get an interview is because he's going about the wrong way. And I call it the resume lottery. Now, if I go down and buy a lottery ticket today, not only will I have to clean out my desk, but I will scratch that off, and I will just be taking this wild chance that I'm going to win.

Okay? It's silly. It's ridiculous. It's just stupid. Well, this is what people do with jobs. They fill out 50 applications, and they submit their resume, and they just hope that somebody looks at it and they like them. Well, guess what? All those wonderful things that Jerry believes about himself, and I believe

they're true, they don't know that when they read a resume. Now, this will blow your mind. Those of you watching on YouTube, I want you to picture a hiring manager doing what I'm doing right now. If they even get your resume, they spend 7.6 seconds on average looking at all those wonderful things about jerry do you think jerry's got much of a chance when jerry doesn't have a connection did you say 7.6 7.6 that's a glance coleman well that's what you ran the 40 in but the point is is that just absorb that don't hit me we're live right now oh i couldn't resist. I'm about to lay hands. I couldn't resist. Go ahead with your little analogy, Coleman. Listen, while Hogan's running the 40, they're trying to make a determination on you.

So a resume without a relationship is worthless. That's why you need to go to KenColeman.com, download the three Get Hired guides. One is the resume guide, and we have a template. But here's the point. Jerry and everybody else, you've got to have a relationship in that building who says, Jerry's awesome, and they hand you a resume, and that's how you get interviews, and that's how you get jobs. Jerry, you got this, buddy. Let's just get real, and people out there, let's make it stand out.

This is The Dave Ramsey Show. ramsay show welcome back america this is the dave ramsay show co-hosting with me this hour is chris hogan ramsay personality and number one best-selling author of Everyday Millionaire. I am Ken Coleman, Ramsey personality, host of The Ken Coleman Show. He hosts The Chris Hogan Show on the Ramsey Network. So we're excited that you have decided to join us. And you can join the conversation. 888-825-5225. That's 888-825-5225. We're going to take your calls on money. We'll

take your calls on life. We'll take your calls on your income, your job, your career path. Whatever you got, we are here for you. It is your show. Chris Hogan, always fun to be together. I don't know if you noticed, I'm a little scratchy today because high school football is back in the great state of tennessee and last night big win for uh uh one of the coleman kids team and i got a little excited i want people to know i was not yelling at the referees this was just all encouragement and affirmation okay well that's good yeah don't believe that 100 but i but I do believe your heart was in the right place. I'm telling you the truth. I'm telling you.

It was all good. You have issues, Coleman. You have competition issues, and I know it. All right, listen, if you're out there and you've got a question, call us. Ken told you the number, 888-825-5225. Let's jump on the phone here. We've got Chris on the line. I already like you, my friend.

What's your question? So my wife and I have listened to this show now for a couple years. At the end of 2019, we had been able to save up and we paid off about $25,000 in credit card debt. Fantastic. Yeah. So at the beginning of this year, we had decided, based on a little bit of money that was given to us from some of our tax refunds and then a bonus, we were going to go ahead and pay off one of our car loans as we should with the baby steps. Well, as soon as the money came in, she was furloughed for about six weeks. I was put down the part-time.

We're both working now full-time, but our jobs are in limbo again. So here's my biggest fear. One is, yeah, we have the money. We have about $15,000 that would cover one of our car loans, no problem. But if we do lose our jobs or put down the part-time or something again, the thought of us not having that money and going back into credit card debt to pay bills makes me sick. I can imagine. So why are you saying the current jobs are questionable? You just got them. No, no, no.

We've had our jobs. What I'm saying is she was furloughed back at the beginning of the year. She's working full-time again. Okay. I'm in my job now. Are you full-time again. Okay. I've been in my job now. Are you full-time again? Yes.

Okay. So what Chris is asking you is, is there evidence, Chris, that you guys might get put back down into part-time or furloughed in the near future, or are you just worried about it? A little of both. We've seen some other people in both of our jobs here that have been just let go totally. All right. And so how much is left in savings of the bonus and stuff originally?

So right now we have about $15,000. Okay. So here's the deal. Why don't you do this? You still have the two car loans? We do. Okay. So here's what I do.

You guys have been on the jobs. Let's work another month, okay? Make you guys sit down and talk about it. Let's go another 30 days. If your income is safe, you're okay. Let's pay off the car. Okay? Okay.

Because what I'm telling people is if your income is stable, keep stepping. That means keep working the baby steps if your income is iffy right or or it might get cut or trim back then you go into conserve mode but you you are you got ptsd from the last job and let's also say this you've just put a scenario out there that should not even be entertained and quite frankly does not have to be entertained, and that is this. If she gets furloughed, if he were to get put back to part-time, he said, we would have to pay our bills with a credit card. Now, wait a second. No. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Where does that reality come into the picture? No. You go work two or three stinking jobs. That's right. And you don't rely on credit cards to pay the bill. And I'm not getting on you, Chris, but I want you to understand, when you put an option on the table, like we may have to use credit cards if it gets really bad to pay the bills, guess what? It actually becomes an option. That's right.

As opposed to going, it's not an option. So I just want to put that out there. You've already given me the practical advice, but I want to speak to the mental side of this thing because when we focus on the negative instead of the positive we start to think and act on the negative thoughts okay oh my gosh i can't pay off debt now because i could lose my job so we just gotta be very careful there that's stinking thinking no it is that's zig zig told us i know stinking thinking zig zig, yeah, again, let me reiterate for everyone out there. If your income is stable, then you're going to keep stepping. That means you're going to keep working whatever baby step you're on. If your hours get cut, if you get furloughed, you get laid off, then what you're going to do is go into conserve mode. That means you would pause attacking debt. You'd still make payments on stuff, right? You're going to pause that until

you get your back up on your feet. And once you do that, then you want to continue to move forward. This is really, really important for people to understand. And let's see, let's get over here. I got Sebastian on the line. Sebastian, how can I help you? Yes, sir. I am currently working on the baby steps. I believe I'm between one and two. I have about $10,000 left to pay on a car loan. Now, I know that your situation is don't get into car loans, but I got into it before I ever found Dave Ramsey, so don't hate me for that. Are you sure it was before?

Yes, sir. All right, all right. I only recently found out within the last couple of months. But I've been listening to the podcast and things of that nature religiously to get rid of my debt overall. I have about $7,000 saved in my bank. And certainly, overall, I don't have any other debt other than my car loan. Okay, good. That's the only thing.

So what's the question? My question is, the car that I'm currently in is a problem for me because my girlfriend's got two children, previous relationship, and I have one on the way. The car that I drive is a sedan. It can only fit three car seats across. And I'm looking to spend my savings to get into something that's not going to leave me on the side of the road.

But I don't know what. What does she drive? She doesn't currently drive anything. The vehicle that she had previously has broke down on her. Okay. And I got into the vehicle that I have currently because the vehicle I had prior left me stranded on the side of the road. How much do you owe on the car you currently have and how much is it worth? Currently, I owe $9,999 and change. So the payoff with the interest is about $10,000 and change.

What's it worth? So I got an appraisal through CarMax. CarMax is saying that they would evaluate it at $10,000 and I could pay it off completely and just get into something that I could pay cash for and I eliminate the debt all the way up. I'm sorry, Sebastian. You must have a bad connection because you just suggested that you take your little car back in there and get a different car loan for a different vehicle.

Is that what you're asking me? No, no, no, no. No, no. Pay it off. Here's the deal. Okay, here's the deal. Sebastian, listen to me, okay? Don't reason yourself into, I got to get a minivan that I can't afford.

Don't reason yourself into that. That's where he's going. Here's the deal. You've got $7,000 in the bank. Your car is worth $10,000, supposedly. Sell it. If it's worth $10,000, get the $10,000, and then go get yourself a minivan for $4,000. It's got a lot of miles on it.

Duct tape it. Listen, we've got families out there in the lobby that are shaking their head. I'm right. Oh, yeah. Listen, who cares what it looks like? There's 27 children in the lobby right now. Listen, you just go get a hooptie minivan and take the extra money left over. Deal with it.

And that's your emergency fund. And they'll find you a good mechanic. You are such a coward. What? Because here we go. First and foremost, Sebastian, get down to the justice of the peace. Go find you a good mechanic. You are such a coward. What? Because here we go. First and foremost, Sebastian, get down to the justice of the peace. Get the I do, we do certificate.

Get married. If you're going to be in this thing together, then let's do it. You got a baby coming. That's the bottom line. That's what you need to do. Yeah, get that handled. Then y'all can start to talk about these financial things that you need to get done. All right, listen to me. Thank everybody for calling in.

I want to thank James Childs, producer, associate producer, Kelly Daniel, and of course, all of you for tuning in. And I want to thank my co-host, Mr. Ken Coleman. We have had a blast hanging out with you this hour. This is The Dave Ramsey Show. Once again, you made The Dave Ramsey Show one of the top four most popular podcasts last year. To get your daily dose of motivation and inspiration from the Ramsey Network, subscribe or follow today wherever you listen to podcasts.